Archive By Section - Letters to the editor

In the beginning, Georgia had a 3 percent sales tax with food exempted. One day, the Ultimate Power that controls the state of Georgia said, "I need more," and soon Georgia counties were allowed a local option sales tax. The LOST was sold as a reduction in property taxes. The state kept 3 percent of the collections.

In the March 24 article, "Glades Reservoir creates ripples downstream," some readers may have received the impression that Dave McLain, who stated his opposition to the Glades Reservoir, was speaking on behalf of the ACF Stakeholders Inc., an organization made up of representatives from the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee and Flint sub-basins of the entire ACF watershed.

I want to thank the people who shared our grief during the illness of my wife Hazel Jenkins as she went through several months of suffering with cancer. Your prayers, your words of courage and many cards and gifts meant so much to the Jenkins family.

I pick up litter (recycling actually). Most any day in Clermont, I can be found trucking around the town with my plastic bags and my dog picking up plastic bottles and cans, and I have learned a few things about our culture by doing so.

I read with interest the article relating to Flowery Branch beautifying downtown that stated "bids came in under the grant amount, so the city scrambled to find other ways to use as much of the money as possible."

Well, well, well. I see the race prostitute, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, was in Atlanta. It wasn't devastating enough for him that a family lost a loved one, so let's see why Mr. Jackson is really here besides what money he thinks he can make.

The performance by Robert Cantrell and Friends at St. John Baptist Church here in Gainesville is still on my mind a day later. I expected a good performance, but I didn't expect to have my heart filled with joy, followed by deep gratification.

It was the best of times ... Recently we "celebrated" the near completion of the Nopone Community Complex. Nopone will enrich the lives of future generations of young learners, improve the health of an aging population and continue to benefit an economic recovery to an area in dire need.

When I woke up at 0-dark-hundred (4 a.m.) the morning of March 6 so I could open my polling place by 7 a.m. (poll workers have to be there at 6), I asked myself, "Why in the world are you doing this?" The answer came back in a flash, "Because I can!"

I cannot recall a time in my 58 years when American society was so polarized and driven by fear and negativity. It's not just the Hannitys and O'Reillys of Fox News, but their liberal counter- parts on MSNBC.

Approximately three months ago, Patrick Kelley lost his life on Clarks Bridge Road just north of Honeysuckle Road, the site of several fatal accidents over the past several years. Subsequently, a DOT spokesperson stated the accident was under investigation and they would be looking at weather conditions, etc. and that it would be several months before the report would be available.

Articles by Section - Letters to the editor

Several weeks ago, we looked back at the historic march that began in Selma, Ala., in March 1965. This event was a painful time in our nation's history, but a time that we can all gather great strength from.

The front page headline Sunday in The Times read "Where have all the voters gone?" Let's go back just a few months to the fall of 2014 when midterm elections were in the news. Recall The Times writing about how politicians in Hall County were concerned that SPLOST VII would not be passed by voters for a seventh time if SPLOST VII was placed on the November 2014 ballot?

I read with concern the two recent items in The Times regarding alleged bullying at Myers Elementary (March 7 article, March 19 letter to the editor). Quite honestly, I was confused; I thought perhaps I had read the name of the school incorrectly, and even more confused when I read the principal involved in the articles. I started shaking my head, thinking,"Are you kidding me? Are they really accusing Beth Hudgins of dealing improperly with a situation so potentially hurtful?"

Mary Drummer is right on about Georgia's senators being wrong to have sent a letter to Iran. They are certainly overstepping their place and proving once again that they, of the Republican party, are incapable of sensibly leading this country's government.

I am writing in response to the article from March 7, "Bullying incidents test school policy in Hall County, Gainesville." As a parent of a child in elementary school, the subject is concerning to me. However, I am not worried at all because my child goes to Myers Elementary School. I'm not worried because I have 100 percent faith in my son's teacher and his principal to do the right thing for my child, and those in his class.

On more than one occasion, I have taken pen to paper to offer my criticism of your newspaper. It is expected that we subscribers will do that. When a newspaper does something that I feel is commendable, I will also offer my praise as well as extending my subscription another quarter.